Easy-to-install faucet handle assembly

ABSTRACT

A faucet handle assembly includes a tubular valve body, a valve device, and a handle. The tubular valve body is mounted in a through-hole of a sink. An escutcheon and a locking member are respectively mounted on an upper side and an underside of the sink for clamping the sink. The tubular valve body includes an inlet end in a bottom thereof for communication with a water source. The tubular valve body further includes a side outlet in a lower portion of an outer periphery thereof for communication with a spout. The tubular valve body further includes an outer threading. The valve device is rotatably mounted in the tubular valve body and includes a stem extending through the escutcheon. The handle is securely connected to the stem, thereby allowing joint rotation of the handle and the valve device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an easy-to-install faucet handle assembly that can be directly mounted from top of a sink.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional faucet includes at least one handle assembly and a spout assembly that are mounted separately on a sink. By turning the handle, water passes through a valve means and a hose to the spout. FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrate a conventional faucet handle assembly including a handle 17, an escutcheon 11, and a valve body 10. The valve body 10 is inserted through a through-hole 21 of a sink 20 and then held in place by the escutcheon 11 mounted on top of the valve body 10 and a nut 12 mounted around the valve body 10 and attached to an underside of the sink 20. Provided in a bottom of the valve body 10 is an inlet end 13 with an outer threading, and a side outlet 14 is provided in a lower portion of the valve body 10 with an outer threading for connection with a connector 23 on an end of a hose 22. The inlet end 13 and the side outlet 14 of the valve body 10 are respectively communicated with an inlet and an outlet of a valve means 15 in the valve body 10. A stem 16 of the valve means 15 extends upward through the escutcheon 11 for connection with the handle 17 via a bolt 18.

[0005] Since the side outlet 14 is a portion protruded outward from the valve body 10 and since the use of the nut 12, the faucet handle assembly could not be directly mounted to the sink 20 as a whole unit. Instead, as shown in FIG. 2, the user must detach the faucet handle assembly for installation through the above-mentioned procedure. Thus, the installation of the faucet handle assembly is not suitable for DIY (do it yourself), as it is troublesome, complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. Further, the elements of the faucet handle assembly could fall and thus damage the surface of the sink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a faucet handle assembly that can be directly installed to the sink as a whole unit without the need of detachment. The faucet handle assembly is directly inserted through a through-hole of the sink from top of the sink, and a nut is mounted from an underside of the sink, thereby easily and rapidly fixing the faucet handle assembly in place. This saves labor and time and is thus suitable for DIY.

[0007] A faucet handle assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a tubular valve body, a valve means, and a handle. The tubular valve body is mounted in a through-hole of a sink. An escutcheon and a locking member are respectively mounted on an upper side and an underside of the sink for clamping the sink. The tubular valve body includes an inlet end in a bottom thereof for communication with a water source. The tubular valve body further includes a side outlet in a lower portion of an outer periphery thereof for communication with a spout. The tubular valve body further includes an outer threading. The valve means is rotatably mounted in the tubular valve body and includes a stem extending through the escutcheon. The handle is securely connected to the stem, thereby allowing joint rotation of the handle and the valve means.

[0008] The whole valve body is inserted from top of the sink through the through-hole of the sink. The locking member having an inner threading is then threadedly engaged on the outer threading of the valve body, with a rubber washer being sandwiched between the locking member and an underside of the sink. Thus, the sink is securely held between the escutcheon and the nut. Next, a connector on the end of a hose is coupled to the inner threading of the side outlet of the valve body for communication with a spout. The whole installation procedure is simple and easy and is thus suitable for DIY

[0009] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a sink and a conventional faucet handle assembly.

[0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the sink and the conventional faucet handle assembly in FIG. 1.

[0012]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a faucet handle assembly in accordance with the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a sink and the faucet handle assembly in accordance with the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a sink and another embodiment of the faucet handle assembly in accordance with the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating installation of the faucet handle assembly in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a faucet handle assembly in accordance with the present invention generally comprises a tubular valve body 30, a valve means 31 rotatably mounted in the valve body 30, and a handle 80. The valve means 31 includes a stem 32 extending upward through a central hole 41 of an escutcheon 40. The central hole 41 of the escutcheon 40 has a threaded portion 42. The stem 32 further extends upward into a stepped hole 81 in an end of the handle 80, and a bolt 82 is used to connect the end of the handle 80 to the stem 32, allowing joint rotation of the handle 80 and the stem 32. Thus, when the handle 80 turns, the valve means 31 is turned. The threaded portion 42 of the central hole 41 of the escutcheon 40 is threadedly engaged with an upper threaded portion 37 of the valve body 30. The valve body 30, the valve means 31, the escutcheon 40, and the handle 80 are assembled together as a unit.

[0017] The valve body 30 includes an inlet end 33 at a bottom thereof, the inlet end 33 having an outer threading for engaging with an inlet pipe (not shown) communicated with a water source (not shown). A side outlet 34 is provided in a lower portion of an outer periphery of the valve body 30 and has an inner threading 35 for coupling with a connector 24 mounted on an end of a hose 22. The inlet end 33 and the side outlet 34 are respectively communicated with an inlet (not shown) and an outlet (not shown) of the valve means 31 in a conventional manner. In an embodiment of the invention, the inlet end 33 is partially reduced or bent to avoid interference with an inner end of the side outlet 34. Alternatively, the inlet end 33 is communicated with the whole interior of the valve body 30, while the side outlet 34 is replaced with an inner tube.

[0018] Since the side outlet 34 is completely located in the valve body 30, the outer threading 36 may be provided throughout an outer periphery of the valve body 30. Thus, it is not necessary to detach the faucet handle assembly before installation to the sink 20. Namely, the whole valve body 30 is inserted from top of the sink 20 through the through-hole 21 of the sink 20. A locking member (e.g., a nut 50) having an inner threading 51 is then threadedly engaged on the outer threading 36 of the valve body 30, with a rubber washer 70 being sandwiched between the nut 50 and an underside of the sink 20. Thus, the sink 20 is securely held between the escutcheon 40 and the nut 50. Next, the connector 24 on the end of the hose 22 is coupled to the inner threading 35 of the side outlet 34 of the valve body 30. The whole installation procedure is simple and easy and is thus suitable for DIY.

[0019]FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a modified embodiment of the invention, wherein a positioning washer 66 and a rubber washer 70 are mounted between the underside of the sink 20 and a locking member, e.g., a locking plate 60. The locking plate 60 has a screw hole 61 for threadedly engaging with the outer threading 36 of the valve body 30. A plurality of ears 62 are provided on an outer periphery of the locking plate 60 and spaced at intervals, each ear 62 having a screw hole 63 (FIG. 6). A bolt 64 with a hexagonal head or a bolt 65 with a slot or a cruciform groove in a head thereof is extended through the screw hole 63 of each ear 62 until a distal end of each bolt 64, 65 pressing against the positioning washer 66 and the rubber washer 70. Thus, the sink 20 is reliably clamped. In use, water enters from the inlet end 33 (see the arrow in FIG. 5) of the valve body 30 and an inner tube (not labeled) into the valve body 30, passes through the valve means 31, and then outputs to the spout (not shown) through the side outlet 34 and the hose 22.

[0020] In the conventional faucet handle assembly of FIG. 1, the nut 12 can only be turned by an open end of a combination wrench. This would cause inconvenience if the space for installation procedure is limited. But the nut 50 in FIG. 4 in accordance with the present invention can be turned by any wrench, including a socket wrench, which is more convenient. Further, the nut 60 in FIG. 5 or 6 can be turned by hand. In conclusion, the installation procedure for the faucet handle assembly in accordance with the present invention can be achieved in a simple, rapid, and easy manner without detaching the faucet handle assembly. Further, the user has more options in the tools for installing the faucet handle assembly in accordance with the present invention.

[0021] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A faucet handle assembly comprising: a tubular valve body mounted in a through-hole of a sink, an escutcheon and a locking member being respectively mounted on an upper side and an underside of the sink for clamping the sink, the tubular valve body including an inlet end in a bottom thereof, the tubular valve body further including a side outlet in a lower portion of an outer periphery thereof, the tubular valve body including an outer threading; a valve means rotatably mounted in the tubular valve body and including a stem extending through the escutcheon; and a handle securely connected to the stem, thereby allowing joint rotation of the handle and the valve means.
 2. The faucet handle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking member is a nut, and wherein the nut and the sink have a rubber washer mounted therebetween.
 3. The faucet handle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking member is a locking plate having a screw hole for threadedly engaging with the outer threading of the valve body, further comprising a rubber washer attached to an underside of the sink.
 4. The faucet handle assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking plate includes a plurality of ears formed on an outer periphery thereof, each said ear having a screw hole, a bolt being extended through the screw hole of each said ear with a distal end of the bolt pressing against the rubber washer.
 5. The faucet handle assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bolt has a hexagonal bolt head.
 6. The faucet handle assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bolt includes a bolt head with a slot.
 7. The faucet handle assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bolt includes a bolt head with a cruciform groove. 